Island



(No Model.)

H. G. WEEDEN. AUTOMATICALLY FLUSHING URINALS, &c.

No. 416.134. Patented Nov. 26, 1889 WITNESSES N PETERS, PholoLilhognphcn Washingian. D. cv

UNITED STATES i ATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. \VEEDEN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVE'EDEN SANITARY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF RIIODE ISLAND.

AUTOMATICALLY FLUSHING URINALS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 416,134, dated November 26, 1889.

Application filed March 11, 1889. Serial No. 302,845. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY O. EEDEN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, have invented a certain new and Improved Method of Automatically Flushing Urinals and Similar Structures, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to structures adapted to produce an automatic siphon-discharge of flushing water from a supply-tank to the bowl of a urinal or similar structure by reason of the introduction of fluid therein when the same is used. Its object is to provide an improved method of bringing about this result in structures of this character.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown an elevation, partly in section, of a form of apparatus adapted to carry out myprcsent improved method.

As is well known, structures for the automatic flushing of urinals have been heretofore used, and the method or principle of their operation has involved the use of an air-exhaust pipe extending downwardly from a body of air held between traps or water seals in the siphon discharge pipe, and brought into connection below the bowl with the fluid flowing out therefrom in such a manner that the flow of the fluid produced a partial vacuum or rarefaction in this airpipe or draw-pipe, so called, and hence in the body of air in the long leg of the siphon. This disturbance of equilibrium by rarefaction set the siphon in motion according to well-known principles, and the flushing of the bowl was therefore automatically brought about.

According to my improved method I make use of the fluid coming from the bowl of the urinal, not as a means of rarefaction, but of condensation or compression of air, and by such compression of air I produce an alteration of the equilibrium of the liquid in the short leg of the siphon, and so cause it to rise therein past the bend of the siphon, thus starting its flow.

According to my improved method I employ a tank and a flushing-pipe leading therefrom to the bowl. to be flushed, and I cause the fluid passing from the bowl to compress a body of air confined within the flushing-tank and above the water in the short leg of the siphon, producing thereby a variation of the equilibrium of the water therein to start the flow of the siphon. There are various means by which the power of compressed air may be particularly applied for this purpose, as well as various means by which the fluid coming from the bowl can be made to produce air-compression. In the accompanying drawing I have represented two sets of apparatus therefor.

In the drawing, A represents the flushingtank; B, the siphon-flushing pipe; O, the urinal-bowl, and D its discharge-outlet.

WVithin the tank I provide a chamber E, which may be made fixed Within the tank, as shown in the drawing. This chamber is air-tight in its upper part, but at its lower part communicates with the water in the tank, so that the water from the tank entering therein will confine a body of air in the closed upper part of the chamber.

As a means whereby the fluid coming from the bowl shall produce air-compression I may form a chamber F below the urinal-bowl with a closed or air-retaining top and with a body of water standing at a given level, which shall be above the mouth of the passage from the bowl. The air confined in the tank and that in the chamber below the bowl I connect by means of an air-pressure transmission-pipe G.

The apparatus being represented in its normal condition in the drawing, it will be understood that if fluid is introduced into the bowl of the urinal, this fluid descending into the body of water I will produce compression of the air confined below the bowl. In the apparatus shown in the drawing this will be accomplished directly by raising the water-level in the chamber. The air-compression thus obtained will be transmitted through the air in the transmission-pipe G to the body of air confined within the chamber E in the tank. If the chamber be fixed as represented in the drawing, and if the waterinlet a be valved, as shown, the force of the air when compressed in the upper part of the chamber will be transmitted to the water in the short leg of the siphon and cause it to rise above the bend and start the flushing action.

The method of operation involves the compression of air Within a closed chamber and above the Water in the short leg of the siphon, by reason of which compression the siphon is set in motion. It also involves the production of such compression of the air by the use of the fluid coming from the urinal.

Other mechanical devices besides those shown may be constructed capable of opera tion by the method herein described, and it is obvious therefore that the method is independent of and more than the function of any single and particular apparatus.

I do not here claim the apparatus herein shown, because I have made it the subject of another application filed by me and serially numbered 303,564.

I claim The method of automatically starting the flow of a siphon to flush a bowl below from a liquid-containing tank above, which consists in pouring other liquid into the said bowl, causing the liquid so poured in to displace a body of confined air, which in being displaced presses upon the liquid in the short leg of the siphon, thereby causing the same to flow over the bend of the siphon and start its action.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 7th day of March, A; D. 1889.

HENRY C. YVEEDEN.

WVitnesses:

ELLEN B. TOMLINSON, JOHN H. TAYLOR. 

